The Commentaries on the Timaeus of Plato — trans. Thomas Taylor

I ■’art her still, if time w i rt not an essence hut an accident, it would not thus exhibit a demiurgic power, * so as to make some things to he perpetually gene¬ rated, hut oilers of a longer or shorter duration, according as their nature is stronger, or weaker; and to distiilml* to all things an appropriate measure of duration aiuou^ beings. It however, it is a demiurgic essence, it will neither he the whole soul [of (lie universe] nor a part ol soul. For tin* conception of soul is dither* nt fi*1111 that ol linn , and « ach is the * ails*- ot dill* rent, and not 4 ot the same things. For soul imparts life, and moves all things, ileiicetlu world also, as it approaches to soul, is tilled with life, and parti* ipates of motion. I 5 ut tune w hich 1 excites demiurgic edi cts to their perfection, and to the measure of them hv wholes, and which is the supplier of a certain p**rp* luity, f ' will not lie subor¬ dinate to soul, since soul likewise parti* ipates of it ; and though not essentially, vet according to its transitive energies. For tin- soul *»t the ilniverse is saul to * n« rm/.e incessantly, and to hv*: wisely through the whole **t tune. It remains therefore that time is an essence, and is not secondary to soul. After all how¬ ever, it must he considered, that if etermly w as the oli'sprui" of intellect, or a certain intellectual power, it w mild In* reipiisile to sav that time is somethin*; of tins kind pertaining to soul. But it * t* rnity is ih«* cm nipt measure of the multi¬ tude ot int* IIi"ihles, and tin eompn hi-nsion ot the perpetuity and perleetion of all things, how is it possihh that tim* also should not have this ratio to soul, and the ps\ chical order ; dillirin- from tin m in the s.ou*- w ay, as all pro* ceding (lite r from abiding causes f JUr eternity exhibits a greater transcendency than lime,

■ Tin- wool [itfnarun it oiltilli >1 III I In uii"liul.

Imliail nt \u /14 ii licit , it it i('*|Ui>iic t«> lent

J 1 t»r tini 4 i j n/u» In it, nail iNiu/.ii.

* Oi it (iiintliil tit le in tin

! t lilii'uitc it (jiuiilt-il iii tint jtl.uc in I tic ttrigiual.

L lei n iiu litre, it it lint tv.irt lit nail u.t ttrijrii.

nnoK i\.]

T1 M/ELS Ol 1'LATO.

p. 195

* Oi it (iiintliil tit le in tin

! t lilii'uitc it (jiuiilt-il iii tint jtl.uc in I tic ttrigiual.

L lei n iiu litre, it it lint tv.irt lit nail u.t ttrijrii.

nnoK i\.]

T1 M/ELS Ol 1'LATO.

p. 195

v illi respect to the tilings that nr* measure*! l»y it For the former comprehends exempt ly, both the essences :uiil the unities of in tell igihles ; I ml the latter dm s not measure lh< essences of th* first souls 1 asr.itli. r subsisting eo-nrdinatel\ with them, and being gem-rated together with them. As some i’l.ilonMs likewise s;iv, time does m*t nn asme the inti lh < tn.il energies nf the lir*-t miuU ; though 1*1.it<* <|< .trly says, that tlx '.mil of the universe leads a divine and wise life through the whole of time. Intelligihles also, an-more united to eternity than iiiundane nature* to time; and the union of them is so great, that some nf the more contemplative phi¬ losophers hav<* apprehended eternity to lie nothing else than the one and total intellect \vhirh comprehends all other intellects]. But no one of the more wise is willing to admit that time is the same with the things that are in tune, on ac¬ count of the "real separation and difference between them.

But no one of the more wise is willing to admit that time is the same with the things that are in tune, on ac¬ count of the "real separation and difference between them.

\\ hat then will time he, if it is neither something belonging to motion, nor a concomitant ol the psy chical energy, nor in short, the progeny of soul, nor as some innovating in divine concerns sav, who conceive time to 1 h.' the psychical circle of the <Iif/rrf'iit, hut rtiTnity th<‘ psychical circle of the smne? l'or 1 have heard that Theodoras philosophized things of this kind, lie however, who nidi avours to correct this opinion, will never admit that these parts <»f the soul are the same as eternity ami time; hut lie will grant that tin* circle of tin different verges to t< tuporal, lint the circle of the same, to eternal natures. Since tin refore, mt do not approve any one of these opinions, w hat will time he ? For it is not perhaps sullicient to sav, that it is the measim of mundane natures, nor tor-nu¬ merate the benefits of w hich it is the cause, lmt the peeuliarifv of it is to lx* ajvprehended to the utmost of our power. Shall we therefore say, that the essence of it being most excellent, perfective of soul and present with all things, is an intellect not alone abiding, hut also moving; abiding indeed, according to the inward energy, by which it is trul\ eternal; lmt moved, according to the exter¬ nally proceeding energy, according to which it bound* all transition. For eternity possessing permanency, both according to its inward energy, and according to that which it exerts towards eternal natures, time adumbrates it, according to one of these, hut becomes separated from it according to the cither, in ronserpicucc of abiding and lieing moved. Hence it will he something at once intelligible and generated, and something at once partible and impartible. At the same time, however, we admit all these things in tin; psychical essence, and we are no otherwise able perfectly to apprehend this middle nature, than by employing after a certain manner opposites in surveying it. A\ by therefore is it wonderful,

* |. e. of »uperiuuiHlaut touts.

p. 196

PHOCLUS ON THK

[tOOK IV.